The Myths behind the Mist of Mankind's Memories

Part 1. Alex's story - Birth Day kisses

See here for part one.

Alex continues with the story he began telling the children...

"Our little family kept on the move for days......, weeks....., months ...., years. They slowed down their pace in the first few weeks - realizing that no one was after them and that having twin babies would slow down the group or restrict the mother's movements in her search for food.

They headed South every day, not because they knew where they where they were destined for, but chose to keep the stars in the Southern Cross ahead of them as a beacon. The young father would draw the familiar cross in the sand or position two sticks before lying down his head at night. That was the direction they would set off in at sunrise.

The couple had got to know the skies quite well by now. They noted how the seasons changed as the sun and moon moved.

About a year after the family had fled from their group, the young father was able to recognize that the sky looked exactly the same as he had seen on the night the twins were born. The tiny cross was in the same position and the frail, but now familiar outline within the 'Milky Way' lay in the very same position. He felt it was important to recall this night somehow, so he searched for something he could use to do so. Perhaps he came across a piece of bark and scratched on it with the tip of an arrow, or a porcupine needle, or maybe even the sharp eye-tooth of an animal he'd kept after a hunt. He proceeded to mark the special event with a little cross - just as he had done in the sand the night of the twins birth
when something inside him had stirred and he had left his post and sped home to find he now had a family of three.

The family were still camping and moving the next year when the father noted the 2nd birth day of the twins. By now the little boy slowed the party down somewhat - but they didn't mind. He wanted to walk at his father's side when they were on the move, and not be carried like his little twin sister. He was a lot bigger than she was and he was already watching and learning as his father hunted for the family's meal.

The tiny girl was fine on her feet when she was collecting seeds, berries and roots with her mother. She had her own little skin pouch to put her finds into. She loved pretty things and a shiny white stone, some pretty wild flowers or a colorful dead beetle would often end up in her pouch too. The young parents would take turns carrying her and she would put her thumb and forefinger into her mouth and go straight to sleep - but never too deeply to be alerted the second the group stopped - she then demanded to be put down right away.

One day, when the sun was directly overhead, the family was looking for a spot to rest and have some refreshment, they noticed that their son was sucking his forefinger too. Then he started licking his forearm. Concerned that he might have scratched himself or been bitten by an insect, they stopped to have a closer look at him. He just smiled and offered them his finger to 'taste.' too. Then the mother licked her hand and the father licked himself as well.
It was salt. They looked at each other in wonder and then at their energetic toddler - who had rushed to the top of sandy hill and was shouting and pointing at something on the other side.

Rushing to join him they were astounded at what they saw........? It was, of course, THE OCEAN. But they didn't know that. To them they had reached the end of their world. They had never seen such a beautiful site in their lives. The father scooped up his son and revived with new strength, both parents ran down the other side of the sand hill towards the sea.
In his excitement, the father didn't notice his precious little 'star cross birth day calendar' fall to the ground. Fortunately the young mother noticed it and knowing how he treasured it, stopped to pick it up.

The noise of the breakers crashing on the shore dampened the family's enthusiasm somewhat and they approached the water's edge with much caution. The little girl motioned that she wanted to get down off her mother's back. Her sharp eyes had spotted some pretty things that she'd never seen before. Mother and daughter stopped for awhile before joining the others.

They all moved closer to the water but not being able to even anticipate what the sea would do, both parents held on to a twin with an iron grip and just watched the motions of the beautiful white breakers, following their path as they uncurled and sped up on to the shore..

Moving back a bit, they found a shady spot to eat and to drink the last of their water rations for the day. From where the sat they could see a cluster of rocks and what looked like a sheltered overhang under a hilly rise in the landscape along the shoreline.

The little boy wanted to join his father, who, after draining the last drop of water from his container, was heading for one of the shimmering rock pools. The father shook his head and indicated that he should stay with his mother and sister.

He felt safe, however, in the rock pool and really enjoyed the refreshingly cool water on his parched body, so beckoned to the others to come and join him. They had been watching for his sign and joined him in the water in no time at all.

The twins could both keep themselves afloat having learnt to swim in the streams and rivers they had been in along their travels. The father cupped his hands and took a deep swig of the sparkling water......Spaat! ..... out it came straight away. Everyone had learnt their first lesson about the sea.

The sea, however had a gift to welcome them to the area. A lovely fish got caught in the mother's water bag as it hung loosely from her waist. Their eyes lit up at the thought of a fish supper so they all got out and dried themselves off in the afternoon sun before moving on to investigate the underside of the hilly overhang.

Their joy on this happy day was made complete when they found a little natural spring running out from the side of the hill above the rocky 'cave'. Having all accidentally swallowed quite a bit of salty sea water while playing in the rock pool, all were very thirsty and delighted to taste the clean, clear water.

Mother and daughter collected some soft green grass and then laid everyone's kaross down while there was still some light from the setting sun. They found the father's little calendar and gave it to him. He was delighted and was preparing to watch the stars later that night.
He thought to himself that it must surely be near the time to add another cross and hoped for clear skies. He was deep in thought when he noticed a tiny figure standing in front of him. His little daughter held her gathering bag open and indicated that he should look inside.

What she was showing him, he had never seen before. He had seen the shell homes of snails and other inland molluces and often eaten the delicious contents - but never anything as beautiful as these. He beckoned to her mother to come and look too. The mother's eyes lit up and she smiled at the little girl. She put her hand into the bag and lifted out her daughter's treasured finds, caressing their pearly surface and thought to herself - 'I'm going to find a way of putting them together, so when the next cross goes on the birth day calendar, my little girl can wear her pretty treasures'. With that thought, she replaced the little pearly sea shells back in the bag where their appearance was improved by constant rubbing against the leather

The young mother didn't have to search very hard to find a nice collection of shiny sea shells to make a necklace for her daughters third birthday. The beach and the rocks were covered in shells of all shapes and sizes. The family soon learned to collect small quantities of fresh molluscs from the water when the tide was low. These supplemented their diet of roots, seeds and sometimes meat.

After several attempts to make a hole in a shell, the mother asked for the father's help. He made a tiny hole in each shell selected for the necklace and then threaded a thin leather thong to join them together - making a knot so they wouldn't slip off - between and after each one.. He then went to a dark corner at the back of the 'cave' and brought out a long straight stick on which he had secured a sharp pointed stone. A fishing spear for the boy. Now both children would have a gift when the birth day got recorded. Both parents smiled at each in contentment as they looked at the sleeping twins. They wished that they all had others like themselves to share their happiness with.

To this day people still love jewellery and written birthday greetings are often sealed with XXXX's as birthday kisses. This family lived many years in their safe, comfortable home. The father added many more crosses to his calendar and had to start some new ones too - but we will hear more about this another time.

story by Jenny L. Marais. May 2004.

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Copyright  2002, Science in Africa, Science magazine for Africa CC. All Rights Reserved

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